Senatcir Padden 

I hate sert'ed this agency. this state. far 33 years. I am prcuud ta hat'e tycirked far and help build what I beLiet'e ta be the best ccurrecticinal system
in the naticin. Ere hat'e been recaggzized naticunally and Ihternaticinally fcur applying research and data-based principles in ciur practice. ciur
 t'atian in det'elcipingnett'pragrams and practicesta serye aurmissicnn. and perhaps mast impartantly. cur humanity.

Ii?ashingtan State pianeered ar?a'as an ear adapter cf direct supen?isian in prisans. intensit'e basic training and mentciring staff. risk
and needs assessment fcir affenders. sustainablli and habitat restciraticun prcigrams in priscuns. affender fam'y ccuunc?s and et'ents. a system-
tt'ide safe ccummittee structure. stt'ift and certain ccimmunity supert'isicin practices. system-wide cagitiye behat'iciralprcigrams fcir affenders cin
supert'isicin. use cfh-Iedicaid and enrallment in :"iffcirdable  C?are :?ict fcur cuffenders. systemic appraachesta reducing scuLitary canfinement. and
partnerships with prcugrams su ch as the Past Priscin Educaticun P?ch ect. The IF Prci_  ect and ccuuntless ather ccummunity cirganizaticins. ncin-prcufits
and gat'ernment agencies.

Mast afthese innciyaticins'a'ere ncit the result cuflegislaticin cur litigatian. the drit'ers af change in many ccurrecticinal agencies. Rather. these were
ent'isicined by leaders. bcuth fcurmal and infcirmaL and det'elaped and implemented by staff'a'hci wanted tcu make their agency better. Ia sert'e the
public and the curganizaticin. Same afthese 'a'ere bcirn cuut ciftragedy. such asthe death cifccurrecticinal afficer Jayme Biendl. This is an agency
that self-reflects and rather than anly assig?. blame ta indiyiduals. striyestcn understand where the system failed and what can be implemented ta
addressthat faIIure.

I?l'hat tt'e reccignize isthat na system is et'er perfect. There are canstant reminders afthis. mcust smaLL but athers that shake aur fcuundaticin. such
asthe murder cifa staff ar an errcir in sentence calculaticuns. Ihere are nci perfect leaders cur perfect perfcurmance management systemsthat 
stap disrupticnns fram accurring. Ii'hat anyane with experience in camples: arganizaticinskna'a's isthat there are taa many t'ariables.
I:Fl'hat we can dc: is faster a culture that reccugnizes and respcunds ta disruptcirs. A culture that strit'estcu canstantly be better. A culture that
recagnizesthat faIIures?a'Ill accur but isprepared ta act stt'iftly and decisit'ely ta respand and ad_ ust.

In December. I learned that a ma_  ar faIIure had ciccurred in this agency. :"isI ?a'cuuld apprciach any ather crisis. I mcubllized resciurcestcu address
the immediate risk. assess future needs. and int'estigate the system t'ulnerabllitiesthat aLlcm'ed this failure ta accur. We mabllized this agency as it
shcuuld hat'e been ID 12 when this errcir u'as ciriginally disc cit'ered. :"is with any crisis cifthis scale. the ccirrectit'e actian cantinue fcir manths
ifncit years.

last December was a system failure. tragic system failure. ?Jn'hIIe the leaders cifthis state hat'e called far the heads afthe
indit'idualsrespcunsible and hate tt'asted ncu time in hiring i-nt'estigatcirstci make this determinaticun. understanding the system failure that cuccurred
an earnest self-examirzaticin. C?hange isncit made in frant cifa IT camera. cur in a hearing. ar thrcuugh suggestians an a website.
Imprciyement is a cammitment afpeaple dedicated ta theirtt'ark. It's dcnne year raund. nat in legislatit'e sessians.

I ncitify yciu ncm' cifmy resignaticin. I hape it helps meet yciur need fcurblcicud. I hcupe it git'esyciu fcidder far the press and fulfills yciurpculitical
needs scu yau can let this agency. aur agency. heal. Taurpasturing daes a gate in_ ustice ta the stafftt'hcu tt'cirk far this agency. Tau ymy
cipen dialague and disccuurage truth-telling with yciur blaming and shaming. It e:-:pcisesyciur igncirance afthe ccumple:I-:i cufthe tt'cirk cif state
gat'ernment.

certain cuf. isthat this agency has a strang fciundaticun. The damage that has been dcune tcu the department by this errar. thciug?'. it Will
take time. Will make it better ifit is allcm'ed ta address this as a system failure and the issuesthis crisis has expased.I embrace the appartunity
tcu speak candidly when I am subpcienaed ta came befcure ycuur ccummittee.

It has been an hcincirtcu sert'e this agency and this state fcir mare than three decades.

Dan Pa chcque. Secretary